Improvement in water-wheels



Paiem'ed May 30,1871

`WILLIAM J. THOMPSON.

` `|rhprovemen inA Wter 115,389l

fue!! y N UNITED I STATES PATENT DEEIcE.

WILLIAM J. THoMrsoN, on SPRINGFIELD, MIssoUEI.

` `IMPROVE-MENT IN wATER-wHEELUs.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. 'lll-loMPsoN,l

of Springfield, Vin the county of Greene and State of Missouri, haveinvented a new and f f useful Improvement in Water-Wheels; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,

clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specificatlon. I

\ I This invention relates to improvements in that class of horizontal-running wheels which receives the water upon curved buckets, taking water at one side and discharging it at fthe other; `and it consists in the manner of IFig.I2 is a top or plan view. Fig. 3 shows one of the gates detached.

Similar lettersof reference indicate corre- I sponding parts.

A is the shaft to which the wheel is attached, revolving on the step B and supported by the boxing G. D is the water-wheel. E is Athe I case. F is a flange surrounding the case, on I which the case, with the wheel, is supported.

Gis spider, the arms H of which are bolted to the top of the case.` I is a collar projecting above Lthe arms H, and J is a broad hollow flange beneath the arms, which fits down onto and covers the upperportion of the wheel,

as seen in Fig. 1. K represents the gates, which operate as chutes for regulating the "1iow of water or shutting it o' from the Wheel.

These gates are oscillated on pivot -rods L. The rods L are supported at an angle of thirty flange J, as plainly seen in the drawing, the

" I degrees-more or less-j-by the case and the angle being designed to correspond with the form of the wheel. M is an arm on each of the gates, which stands vertical, and their endsproject above the arms H. N is a circular plate, which ts over the collar I. The plate rests upon the top of the arms, and has screws or lugs O in its edge, between which the arm of the gate is received, asl seen in the drawing. By partially rotating the plate around the collar I it will be seen that the gates will be. oscillated on their pivots and thewater-apertures to the 'buckets will be opened or closed. The plate N is rotated by means of the sector-rack P and the pinion It, the latter being provided with a stop, so that the plate and buckets may be held in any desired position. V

In closing, the end of each gate laps onto the one preceding it, the curvature being arranged for this purpose.

The gates are hung on their pivot-rods at or near their center, so as to be balanced by the pressure of the water when open.

The present improvements have more especial reference to a water wheel for which Letters Patent I of the United States, dated December 21, 1869, were granted me, the object being to improve and perfect said wheel.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The arrangement of the gates K with regard to the wheel and the case and the operating connections, substantially as described.

2. The disk-plate N, arranged to operate the gate, as shown and described, for the purpose specified.

WILLIAM J. THOMPSON.

' Witnesses:

A. H. WILsoN, A. 1?. HoLooMn. 

